Watch Out, It's The H! Bomb!
Sounding vaguely reminiscent of Test-Icicles, Hadouken! have taken over the NME/Radio 1 stage to get the UK indie kids up and dancing despite the heat.
'Superstar' is a meaty slab of rocked up dance music, served on a heavy bassline with speedy drumwork on the side. About to launch into a UK-wide tour, Hadouken! should not be surprised to see their crowds swell in size after this impressively loud performance to an impressively packed out tent.
Hadouken!'s music is not just a brief nod to synths in rock music; they place it at the forefront of their energetic sound. Whilst the older crowd towards the rear of the tent seem somewhat bemused, the majority of people watching don't take it all too seriously and enjoy themselves.
The second song of the set, 'Liquid lives', shows off Hadouken!'s deep and dirty guitar work, and harks back to The Flesh and their self-titled album from a few years ago. Whilst Horse The Band brought us Nintendocore, Hadouken! seem to have used this characteristic sound as the base for their music and then warped it into something much more energetic and appealing with the use of slightly softer vocals. It means this is a parcel that is sure to set indie-disco kids hearts racing and sure enough, hearts are pumping a-plenty in the NME tent as the crowd leaps around happily.
This is a band who are capable of throwing highly energetic songs in your face without so much as raising a sweat. With aggressive vocal work James Smith and more abrasive yet catchy synths from Alice, the H! show is diverse and exhilarating.
Some of the punters may be complaining of bass-induced headaches, but surely that is just one more sign that Hadouken! are here to spice things up a little with their heady mix of rock and disco. Whether the band will last beyond a record or two is an entirely different matter, but for the time being they are dishing up crowd-pleasers and good times like nobodies business.
The band end on 'This Boy That Girl', meaning Hadouken! go out on a high and the crowd leaves satisfied and ready to brave the sunshine and congestion for more music.